


Lost in New York

by two_of_swords



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Implied Sexual Content, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Minor Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, New York City Romance, Pynch Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 12:22:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13123629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/two_of_swords/pseuds/two_of_swords
Summary: Adam Parrish and Ronan Lynch spend a couple of romantic days in New York City right before Christmas.





	Lost in New York

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kasket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasket/gifts).



> This is my Pynch Secret Santa gift for rarity-kasket for the prompt New York City romance. I hope that you like it! It is canon compliant, not AU, as I need to work on my AU writing skills. Happy holidays!!!

“I have bad news about winter break,” Adam said, stifling a yawn. He looked more tired than usual, but it was hard to tell when Ronan only saw his pixelated face on the screen of his computer a couple of times a week.

Ronan gasped. “You’re really not coming home this time, are you? I always knew this day would come.” His tone may have been mocking, but his pulse quickened as he anticipated Adam’s next words. What was the saying? Laughter through tears or some shit like that.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I am,” Adam responded. “I’m just going to be delayed a bit.”

“Why? What’s going on?” Ronan asked, feeling a bit relieved.

“Remember that phone interview I told you about? The one for the internship next summer?” 

Ronan nodded.

“Well, they want me to go to New York for the next round of interviews.”

“That’s not bad news, shithead.”

“I know, I know. It’s a great opportunity, but now I won’t be home on the eighteenth like I planned. My advisor wants me to stay so she can help me prep after finals. The interview is on the twenty-first.”

_ Three whole days later _ , Ronan thought. It didn’t seem like it should be much, but it was everything. He had been looking forward to having those few days alone with Adam before Declan and Matthew arrived at the Barns on the 22nd for Christmas.

“How are you getting there?” Ronan asked, masking his disappointment as best as he could, though Adam could probably see through it.

“I have enough to take the train from Boston to New York for my interview and then to D.C. once it’s over. Can you pick me up there?”

Ronan didn’t answer right away. An idea was forming in his mind. He watched Adam shift uncomfortably. 

“Ronan?”

“What if I meet you there?”

“In New York?”

“Yeah. I’ll get us a hotel room. We can stay a couple of nights, you can go to your interview, then we’ll do some cheesy tourist shit after, come back in time to drive home with Declan and Matthew for Christmas. What do you think?”

“What about the farm?”

“Sargent should be around by then. I’ll see if she can come stay with Opal and take care of things for a couple of days. She likes the work, so I’m sure she’ll agree to it.”

Adam breathed a sigh of relief. “That sounds… so good.”

“I’ll text you the details once I have them.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it? You’re just gonna let me make all the arrangements? No arguments?”

“I have way too much to do in the next couple of weeks to worry about it.”

“Ha! We’re staying at the fucking Plaza then.”

Adam groaned. “Please don’t go overboard.”

“It’s like you don’t even know me at all.”

“I know you too well,” Adam said, yawning again.

“Fine, I promise I’ll keep it low key. Go to sleep, Parrish.”

“Night, Lynch.”

 

**\-------**

The train ride from Boston to New York took three and a half hours. Ronan’s train ride up from D.C. would take about an hour less, which was blessing for both Ronan and the other passengers, and would arrive at a different station. They had planned for Ronan to get in earlier and then walk the 20 minutes or so from Penn Station to Grand Central, where Adam would arrive from Boston.

Adam slept most of the way. Finals week was brutal and he was still trying to catch up. He could have spent the time reviewing interview questions, but then Ronan would be annoyed if all he wanted to do was sleep once they got to the hotel. There were definitely other things Adam wanted to do once they got to the hotel. 

They hadn’t seen each other since Adam surprised Ronan on his birthday. It was also technically their anniversary, but they didn’t really celebrate it then since there were so many bad memories associated with that time of the year. It was easy to pretend that it wasn’t an important date for their relationship anyway, that they hadn’t made it official until much later, but a birthday is a birthday and Adam didn’t want Ronan to be alone. Plus, he had to break the bad news that he had to stay in Boston for Thanksgiving. Ronan had been upset at first, but by the end of the weekend, he was over it. They were getting used to the distance. They had now officially spent more of their relationship apart than together and it was only going to get worse depending on where Adam ended up for his upcoming summer internship. D.C. or anywhere close to it was not a likely option for his field of study. New York wouldn’t be so bad, depending on how this trip went. If Ronan hated the city, he would be less likely to come visit.

As the suburbs just outside the city rushed by the window, Adam’s stomach fluttered with nervous anticipation, a feeling he both loved and hated. He loved it because it meant his physical needs would soon be satisfied, but he hated it because it was only temporary. A few blissful days would eventually turn back into the dreadful longing of being apart. He tried so hard to stay present in the moment when they were together, but sometimes he couldn’t help fixating on their impending separation instead. Old habits are hard to break, but he was working on it.

His cell phone buzzed with an incoming text message, interrupting his thoughts. Relief coursed through him when he saw Ronan’s name on the screen.

_ I’m here. Are you close? _

Adam smiled at his phone. _ Soon,  _ he thought, but he looked up at the scrolling electronic status board and responded  _ 20 min away. _

A part of Adam wanted to know every detail of how Ronan planned to spend the next twenty minutes, but he didn’t ask and he knew better than to hope for Ronan to give more information voluntarily. It simply wasn’t his style. 

The time didn’t pass fast enough for Adam. By the time the train pulled into the dark tunnel of Grand Central station, his nerves were shot. He checked the time on his phone for the hundredth time and then the weather app. It was 56 degrees in New York City, unseasonably warm for five days before Christmas. He stuffed his coat into his backpack and shrugged it on over his hoodie. Then he stood and retrieved his garment bag from the overhead compartment as the train came to a stop and the doors opened. He nearly snapped at the unhurried pace of a family gathering their things and blocking his way to the door, but he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Ronan wasn’t going anywhere. He needed to be patient. He stepped off the train onto the steamy platform and followed the crowd into the terminal. It was so packed with holiday shoppers and travelers, it was hard to know at first where to go. He removed himself from the crush of bodies moving towards some unknown destination and texted Ronan.

_ Just got off the train _

_ Where are you? _

Adam hoped Ronan wasn’t ignoring his phone. Thankfully, Adam’s phone buzzed right away in response.

_ Main hall _

_ Meet me by the clock _

_ You’ll know what i mean when you see it _

Adam glanced around for a sign to point him in the right direction. He found one that said Main Concourse with arrows pointing straight ahead. He pushed through the crowd and down a low-ceilinged passage with shops and restaurants. His stomach growled. He ate breakfast on campus before he left for South Station earlier, but only had water on the train. He hoped Ronan’s plans included lunch.

He entered the cavernous expanse of the main concourse from one of the corners, but immediately spotted the four-sided clock atop the information booth in the center of the massive room. There were people everywhere. He had to dodge them as he walked by the ticket windows and a giant marble staircase leading to some other hall or balcony. He should have stopped and appreciated the beauty of the building’s architecture, or at least admired the way light passed through the tall windows at the opposite end of the hall, filling the room with a warm glow, but his mind was only focused on one thing: finding Ronan. 

The crowd parted around Adam and then he saw him. Ronan was leaning against the information booth, arms crossed over his chest, his coat and duffle bag at his feet, headphones looped around his neck. He was wearing a light gray full-zip hoodie, dark jeans that were ripped at the knees and sneakers. He was looking up at the constellations of the zodiac painted on the teal ceiling far above. As eager as Adam was to see and touch Ronan, he had to stop and admire his handsome boyfriend from a distance- the sharp lines and angles of his face and neck, the lean muscle of his shoulders and arms, his long legs. He hadn’t changed much in three years, but something about the way he held himself was more confident, more mature. Adam couldn’t help but smile.

Ronan lowered his head then and turned towards Adam, catching his gaze- a sly grin spreading across his face. Adam didn’t care that he’d been caught looking. He wanted to freeze that moment of recognition in his mind forever. Ronan pushed away from the booth and took a couple of steps towards him, leaving his bag and coat behind. Adam quickly closed the gap until they were finally standing in front of each other, taking nothing for granted.

“Parrish,” Ronan said.

“Lynch,” Adam responded.

Ronan pulled him into a spine-crushing hug, garment bag and all. “God, I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Adam said.

They pressed their foreheads together and kissed lightly on the lips, though they both wanted more.

“You hungry?” Ronan asked. “There’s a food court downstairs and we’ve got some time to kill before we can check in to the hotel,” He pointed in the direction of the stairs leading down to the lower level.

“Starving,” Adam admitted.

Ronan picked up his bag and slung the strap over his shoulder, then draped his coat over it. He rested his hand gently on the back of Adam’s neck, just below his hairline. “Is that all you brought?” He asked, tugging on the handle of Adam’s backpack.

“I have more clothes at home,” Adam said.  _ Home. The Barns.  _ It was so easy to say now that there was no doubt left. “Unless Opal got into them. Then I’ll just have to wear yours, I guess.”

They walked downstairs and decided to get lunch at Shake Shack. Ronan filled Adam in on life at home and what Opal had been up to while they ate burgers and fries and drank milkshakes. Adam gave Ronan an update on finals and the interview prep with his advisor. Ronan’s stories were way better than Adam’s boring school stories, but Ronan still listened attentively. They skirted dangerously close to discussing the future and Adam nearly let his mind slip into the lonely thoughts of more time apart, but Ronan grabbed his hand on top of the table and grazed his thumb over Adam’s knuckles, bringing him back to the present, where they were surrounded by people laughing and talking and a violinist playing carols in the middle of the food court.

They talked through the directions Adam had been given to get from their Midtown hotel to the building his interview would be in in Lower Manhattan. Adam pressed his ankle and knee into Ronan’s under the table, wanting to always have some point of contact between them. Adam felt warm and a bit giddy from all of the casual touching. 

Ronan checked the time on his phone. “We can go now. It’s a bit of a walk, but we’ll be able to check in by the time we get there.” Adam couldn’t get out of the crowded train station fast enough.

  
  


**\--------**

 

They arrived at the hotel a half hour later. Adam was impressed by the expansive lobby. Everything seemed so huge in New York City. Well-dressed people milled around looking busy and important. Adam felt a little self-conscious at first in his casual attire.

A short line had formed at the front desk. A man and a woman expertly ran the show behind it, bobbing and weaving around each other as they picked papers off printers and stuffed key cards into tiny envelopes before handing them to the next guest with a smile. The woman was closer to their age and reminded Adam a bit of Orla, but shorter. The man looked up as Adam and Ronan approached the line and smiled a little, then he bent over and whispered something in the woman’s ear. Her eyes flitted casually to Ronan, then back to the guest she was checking in. 

Adam was used to Ronan getting that kind of attention. Ronan was still not comfortable with it the way Declan and Gansey were, the way Adam was learning to be, but at least he was no longer a coiled snake in the path of an unsuspecting victim. Adam glanced quickly at Ronan’s face and instead saw a softness there in the little smirk that played at the corners of his mouth. He couldn’t help but think that the softness was actually happiness and felt a surge of pride rush through him. This was a more mature, grown-up version of Ronan. Adam loved this Ronan intensely. He wished they would hurry up and just get to their room already. The anticipation was killing him. It was a tragedy that he hadn’t really even gotten to kiss Ronan yet. Not properly, anyway. Adam needed to distract himself with something other than staring at Ronan’s gorgeous face or he was going to jump him right there in the hotel lobby

“Hey,” he said, risking a light touch to Ronan’s shoulder. “I’m going to go call my advisor and let her know I made it to the city.”

Ronan nodded. “You want me to take that?” He asked, gesturing to the garment bag Adam had slung over his right shoulder.

“No, I got it.”

“What? You don’t trust me to handle your suit?” Ronan asked.

“You’re just looking at it and it’s getting wrinkled,” Adam teased.

Ronan smirked again and Adam’s pulse quickened. He reluctantly stepped away to make his call. 

When he returned to the desk area, the line had cleared and it was just Ronan leaning casually against the counter, his duffel bag at his feet, and the loose smile he usually reserved for Matthew plastered on his face. Adam hung back and observed the exchange between his boyfriend and the Orla look-a-like, as her partner tried to make himself look busy by fussing over some paperwork. Ronan said something in a low voice that Adam couldn’t hear and the woman laughed and blushed.  _ What the hell?  _ Adam thought. He knew he had just been musing about Ronan’s improved interactions with the general public, but this was going a bit overboard. He watched the woman jot something down on a piece of paper, then hand it along with the key cards to Ronan. He shoved them both into his back pocket.

_“_ Enjoy your stay, Mr. Lynch,” she said, smiling indulgently. Ronan thanked her and picked up his bag. He turned to face Adam, grinning like an idiot.

“Close your mouth, Parrish,” Ronan said, nudging him in the side as he passed Adam and began walking toward the elevators that faced the front desk.

“What was that?” Adam asked, dumbfounded, spinning to follow Ronan, but glancing back over his shoulder at the front desk. “Were you… were you just flirting with her?”

“I got us upgraded to a suite. And she gave me her number in case we’re bored and want to hang out with her and her friends later.”

“You’re kidding,” Adam said. He couldn’t help but feel a little hurt and a little jealous. They hadn’t seen each other in weeks. Surely that was not how Ronan wanted to spend what little time they had alone together. Then he came to his senses and realized how cleverly Ronan had secured a nicer room without having to pay any extra money, which he knew Adam would object to.

Ronan stopped suddenly and leaned into Adam. “Obviously, I don’t plan on getting bored,” he whispered huskily into Adam’s good ear, brushing his lips over that sensitive spot that he knew so well. Adam shivered with relief. He glanced at the woman behind the desk again. Her face had fallen and the man was at her side, shaking his head.

“You just got played,” Adam heard him say. “Those two are together.”

Ronan laughed and jabbed the elevator button with his free hand, then he threw his arm around Adam’s shoulder and pulled him as close as the garment bag between them would allow.

“You wanna give them a show?” Ronan asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as the elevator doors sprung open.

“God, yes,” Adam said, practically pushing Ronan onto the elevator and up against the wall with his own free hand, kissing Ronan fiercely, finally, the way he’d wanted to since the moment he spotted him at the train station. Adam caught another glimpse of the front desk out of the corner of his eye as the elevator doors closed. The woman just shrugged and laughed.

Within the privacy of the elevator, Adam pressed his body urgently against Ronan’s and his tongue desperately into his mouth. Ronan dropped his bag and wound his hands into Adam’s hair. When they finally came up for air, Ronan said, “Fuck, Parrish, I didn’t know a little flirting would get you so hot and bothered. I should do it more often.”

“Shut up,” Adam said. “We should probably pick a floor before someone else tries to get on this elevator.”

“Oh yeah, we actually have a room we can do this in,” Ronan said, reaching to push a button on the side panel.

They resumed making out as the elevator began to move up. Nobody else got on, but at that point, they probably wouldn’t have noticed anyway.

 

**\-------**

 

If Adam had been impressed by the hotel lobby, their suite was damn near overwhelming. Ronan dropped his bag just inside the door and stood back, watching Adam’s eyes grow wide with wonder as he took in the posh setting. His face was flushed and his lips were dark red and a bit swollen from their elevator antics. He looked beautiful.

“Holy shit, Ronan,” Adam said. “This is incredible.” Ronan knew he allowed himself to appreciate it, maybe even enjoy it, because he knew that Ronan hadn’t paid any extra for it. Ronan had always been the best at giving things to Adam in a way that wouldn’t offend his pride and that skill had only improved over the years.

Ronan shrugged in what he hoped was an unimpressed manner, though the suite really was better than he could have imagined. Adam rolled his eyes and wandered into the bedroom to continue his inspection. Not wanting to seem too eager to follow him there, though he  _ was _ desperately eager, Ronan waited a moment before walking to the bedroom doorway and leaning against it, watching as Adam carefully hung his suit in the closet then shrugged off his backpack and set it gently on the floor beside the bed. He then walked to the adjoining bathroom and flicked on the light switch. He glanced around, gave an approving nod, then switched the light back off. 

He finally turned back to Ronan and asked, “so what did you have planned?”

“Nothing really for tonight. I thought we could just stay in, order room service later or something. I don’t want to distract you if you need to prepare for your interview,” Ronan responded, eyes locked on Adam.

Adam smiled slyly. “You can distract me. I don’t mind,” he drawled.

Something unraveled inside Ronan then and he couldn’t take it anymore. “Come here,” he said, his voice sounding rougher than he intended.

 

\---------

 

A little while later, Ronan was lying on his stomach in bed, resting his head on the world’s most comfortable pillow and dozing lightly in the fading late afternoon light. Well, dozing and contemplating if he might be able to manifest a pillow just like this one from his dreams.  _ How did hotels do it? _ He was just about to nod off again to give it a try, when Adam emerged from the bathroom wearing a plush white bathrobe and a wide smile. He tossed a second bathrobe at Ronan. It landed on his face.

Ronan plucked it off and pushed himself up. “Where the fuck did you get that?”

“Hanging on the back of the door. Why bother getting dressed?”

“Always so practical,” Ronan said. He got out of bed and slipped on the robe before going into the bathroom to piss and clean up. When he returned to the bedroom, Adam had turned on the lights and had his phone pressed to his good ear, listening intently to whoever was speaking, papers spread out in front of him on the bed. Ronan assumed it was his advisor, so he sat back down next to him to wait. Adam didn’t hear him approach, but felt the movement of the mattress, so he looked up and mouthed  _ Gansey.  _ Ronan nodded and picked up one of the papers. It was a list of potential interview questions. They were all bullshit. For a moment, he felt sorry that Adam had to go through all this ridiculous bureaucracy to prove himself worthy.  _ Worthy of what?  _ Ronan didn’t know. He wished there was a way he could show Adam that he didn’t need any of this, that there were other ways, that they could do amazing magical things together. But that was a fight he wasn’t willing to have anymore. Adam’s path was different than his and he had finally come to terms with it.

“Yeah, he’s right here,” Ronan heard Adam say when he tuned back into Adam and Gansey’s one-sided conversation. 

Ronan shook his head violently. “No, I’m not.” He said, though he knew Adam wouldn’t be able to hear him. At least he would be able to read his lips.

Adam grinned. “Okay. Sure.” He ended the call and set his phone down. “He’s gonna facetime me. He wants to finalize plans for Christmas and Blue wants to say hello.”

Ronan looked down at his bathrobe, then he looked at Adam’s. “Oh this is gonna be good,” He laughed and spread open his own robe so more of his chest was showing.

When Adam answered Gansey’s call, they were already struggling to keep their composure.

Ronan grabbed the phone and said, “Hello, Dick,” adjusting the angle so that Gansey got an eyeful.

“What the…” Gansey said.

“Oh, Ronan,” Blue said, with a giggle.

Adam howled with laughter.

“What are you wearing?” Gansey asked, jostling Blue to get a better look.

“Dick! That question is reserved for our private conversations.”

Gansey flushed. “Seriously though. Are you naked under that thing?”

“Jesus Christ, it’s a bathrobe. Yes, I’m naked under it. So’s Parrish,” Ronan flopped down next to Adam so they could both be in the camera frame together.

“Oh my God,” Blue said, “I have so many questions. One, where did you get those? Two, are they matching?”

“We’re at a fancy hotel in New York City, Sargent. They come with the room.”

Adam buried his face in Ronan’s shoulder to stifle his laughter. Ronan responded by yanking Adam’s robe open so he was bearing just as much of his chest as Ronan.

Blue gasped and covered Gansey’s eyes with her hand.

“Hey, how’s my farm?” Ronan asked Blue as Gansey tried to push her hand away.

Blue glanced around. They were clearly in the living room at the Barns. Gansey must have just gotten into town and stopped by to visit. “Still running. Listen, I have some ideas on how you can use your land to its fullest potential. The pregnant cows are going to need more food in the spring once they start calving. Why buy feed when you can produce it yourself?”

Ronan sighed. What did he know? He was only a farmer. As much as he hated to admit it, she was usually right. Her experience in an agricultural co-op run by a couple of state schools had proved invaluable to him so far. “Thanks, Maggot. We can talk about it when I get home.” Adam was practically shaking with contained laughter next to him. Ronan elbowed him in the side.

“I don’t think I can have a serious conversation with you two when you look like that,” Gansey said, still not over the bathrobes. “So we’ll see you when you get home. Adam, good luck tomorrow.”

“Yeah, Adam, good luck,” Blue echoed. “Love you guys. See you soon!”

“Bye. Don’t do anything gross in my bed while you’re there.”

“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Blue teased. Gansey hastily ended the call.

“I think that was a new record,” Ronan said.

“Now we know how to get him off the phone,” Adam said, still laughing.

“What was he going on about before?”

“His father knows the woman I’m interviewing with tomorrow. He was giving me some background information.”

“You’re fucking kidding me. Is there anyone the Ganseys don’t know?”

“Sometimes I wonder,” Adam said, suddenly turning pensive. “You don’t think he…”

“No. Uh uh. No way,” Ronan said. Adam didn’t respond, so Ronan cupped Adam’s face in his hands. “You did this, Adam. Not him. Now what are you going to do with these?” He asked, grabbing one of the sheets of paper with the interview questions.

Adam sighed. “Can you interview me? Seriously. No joking.”

Ronan shrugged. “Sure. If you think it will help.”

“I think I just need to review the questions one more time.”

Ronan grabbed the sheaf of papers and glanced over them. “These questions are terrible. Strengths and weaknesses, really? Does anyone ever come with anything original?

“I agree, but that’s the way it is.”

Ronan tried his best to take it seriously for Adam’s sake, but he couldn’t help but mock the questions and sometimes Adam’s answers. It didn’t phase Adam though. Ever the professional, he had mastered the art of the interview and provided one brilliant response after another. Ronan couldn’t help but be impressed. He’d hire Adam, but perhaps he was biased. They spread out over the bed as they progressed through the questions. By the time Ronan got to the last question, Adam was sitting back against the headboard. Ronan rested his head against Adam’s chest while Adam mindlessly ran his fingers back and forth over Ronan’s shaved head.

“Where do you…” Ronan began, but then faltered. He cleared his throat and sat up, turning to face Adam.

“What?”

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” Ronan knew the question was meant to be answered in a professional context. A good answer would establish realistic career expectations while still demonstrating the interviewee’s ambition. But Ronan didn’t care about all that. He just wanted to know if he still had a place in Adam’s world five years from now.

Adam held his gaze steady and said, “I can’t say for sure what the future holds, but I know this experience will play an important role in helping me make that decision.”

It was the best answer Ronan could hope for. He leaned forward and kissed Adam. Adam hummed and parted his lips slightly so Ronan could slip his tongue in, darting hot and quick. Then he pulled back and nibbled on Adam’s lower lip. Adam responded by wrapping his hands around the back of Ronan’s neck and pulling him in for a long, deep kiss. Ronan got to his knees and straddled Adam, hovering over him, his bathrobe falling open. 

“You ready for round two?” Ronan asked. He wasn’t talking about the interview questions.

“What do you think?” Adam asked in return.

It was the best answer Ronan had heard all night, even though it wasn’t an answer at all.

 

**\------**

 

“Fuck, we’re good at this,” Ronan said, collapsing on the bed next to Adam. “We should be professionals.”

“So, like porn stars?” Adam asked, still trying to catch his breath.

“Why not? I’m sure we look fantastic. People would probably pay good money to watch.”

Adam laughed. “I’ll add it to my resume.”

Ronan turned onto his side, propped up on an elbow and ran his fingers lightly over Adam’s bare chest. “I think we should shower and then order room service and then you should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”

“What about you? You worried about sleeping here?” Adam asked, seriously.

“Nah. No reason to have any nightmares when I’m safe here with you.”

Adam grabbed his hand and kissed it, then he tugged Ronan out of bed and into the shower. When they got out, they reluctantly got dressed. Adam was in his boxers and a t-shirt when Ronan remembered that he had something for him. “Here,” he tossed a pair of plaid pajama pants to Adam and pulled an identical pair out of his bag for himself.

“Are they matching? Blue would lose her mind,” Adam teased.

“It was a Lynch family tradition. Matching Christmas pajamas,” Ronan explained. “I’m reinstating it this year. I got a pair for Declan and Matthew too. Just put them on, asshole.” He tugged his on, but Adam hadn’t moved. “What?”

Adam had a strange look on his face, like he wanted to laugh but also like he wanted to cry at the same time. “Nothing,” he said, pulling on the pants.

They went out into the living room and pored over the room service menu. Adam eventually called and ordered an obscene amount of food while Ronan flipped through the channels on the TV looking for a Christmas movie to watch. He paused briefly on  _ It’s a Wonderful Life,  _ but then decided against it. A boy losing his hearing in one ear, a father regretting his life’s choices, an angel messing with time to save a man’s life- it all felt a little too familiar. He decided on  _ Home Alone 2: Lost in New York _ instead, which seemed a little more appropriate. Adam joined him on the couch and they sprawled out comfortably while they waited for the food.

“I used to want to be this kid,” Ronan said, absentmindedly.

“Really? Why?” Adam asked.

“I thought he was so cool. Plotting revenge on the bad guys with all his smart little tricks. Imagine the stuff I could have dreamt up.”

Adam looked at him funny. “Yeah, because you never got to do that in real life.”

_ Shit.  _ Maybe he should have stuck with  _ It’s a Wonderful Life.  _ “Plus, I hated my older brother too, so I could relate.”

“Glad to hear you using the past tense,” Adam mused.

Ronan was relieved when someone knocked on the door so he didn’t have to talk about his Declan feelings anymore. He jumped up to answer it, practically dumping Adam on the floor. He let the server in to set up their meal on the table in the kitchenette, though they ended up bringing it into the living room so they could continue watching the movie.

“I told you we should have stayed at the fucking Plaza,” Ronan said, when the movie ended, but Adam had fallen asleep with his head on Ronan’s shoulder and didn’t hear. Ronan nudged him gently. “Hey. Go to bed.”

Adam sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What about all this?” He gestured to the dirty dishes scattered around.

“I’ll take care of it,” Ronan said. “Don’t forget to set your alarm.”

“I won’t,” Adam said, disappearing into the bedroom.

Ronan called room service to have them come remove the dishes, tipping generously when they were done. He felt wide awake, so he went into the bedroom to get his phone and his headphones out of his bag. Adam was fast asleep on his usual side of the bed. Ronan walked over to the nightstand where Adam’s phone was charging and checked it to make sure the alarm was set, then he retreated back to the living room. He must have fallen asleep on the couch at some point because when he woke up, it was morning and Adam was dressed and staring out the window.

**\-------**

 

Adam was nervous. He’d never been to an official business interview before in a real office building in a real city. His hands were shaking a bit as he tied his tie, so he wasn’t happy with how it turned out and kept fussing with it in the mirror. He woke up before his alarm went off and then couldn’t fall back asleep, so he got up and started getting ready. The problem was that now he had too much time to kill before he needed to leave, which left plenty of time to get lost in his own mind. 

“Adam?” 

He didn’t even realize he was staring out the window until Ronan’s voice pulled him back to awareness. He actually hadn’t realized that Ronan was there at all, though he had not been surprised when Ronan was not in bed with him when he woke up.

Adam turned to him. “What did you say?”

“Are you okay?” He asked, his voice raspy from sleep.

“Oh. Yeah. A little nervous.”

“Were you just…”

Dissociating? Maybe. “I wasn’t scrying if that’s what you think.”

Ronan got up off the couch and stretched. “I don’t remember falling asleep. Sorry I didn’t come to bed.”

Adam didn’t say anything, but he yanked at his tie in frustration and then walked to the mirror in the bedroom again to fix it. Ronan followed him.

“Do you want some help with that?” He asked.

“From you?” Adam replied, sounding more annoyed then he meant to.

“As much as I hate it, I do know how to tie a tie, Parrish. I can even do it well on occasion,” Ronan said, voice calm.

Adam dropped his hands. “Yes, please, help me.”

Ronan stepped closer and undid the knot and smoothed out the ends of the tie. “Breathe,” He reminded Adam.

Adam let out his breath slowly. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself for slipping away like that. It hasn’t happened in a long time.” If Ronan hadn’t been there, who knows how long it would have lasted. He could have missed the whole interview.

“Remember the last time it happened?” Ronan asked, looping and pulling on the tie.

“Graduation,” Adam remembered. The combination of nervousness for his impending valedictorian speech and the reality of college and leaving had pushed him over the edge. Ronan had reigned him back in then too, but he came out of the episode knowing that he needed to talk to his parents before he left, as much as Ronan didn’t like that idea.

He wasn’t sure yet what his subconscious was telling him to do this time, but he knew it was related to the interview and what it meant for his future- a summer away from Ronan. And then another graduation. And then a job that he would most likely not find in Virginia.  _ Stay present, Adam _ , he reminded himself.

“There. How’s that?” Ronan asked, making a couple of last adjustments.

Adam looked in the mirror and sighed with relief. “Much better.”

He turned back to Ronan, who caught his face in his hands and kissed him softly. “I love you. You’re going to be amazing.”

Adam leaned into his touch.  “I love you too. I’m so glad I didn’t do this alone. Thank you.”

“Of course, asshole. I’ll clear a space for my boyfriend of the year award when we get back home.”

Adam laughed. He felt a million times better.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Ronan asked.

“No, I’m fine now,” Adam said, checking his watch. He was still a little early, but he would rather have a little extra time since he’d never navigated the streets of New York by himself before. “You should get some more sleep.”

“Is that your way of telling me that I look like shit?”

“No, I just want you to be well rested when I get back. We have a lot to see in half a day. I’ve been doing some research.”

Ronan smirked. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to give up full control.”

Adam smiled and grabbed his coat and his leather portfolio, an early Christmas gift from Gansey, and headed out into the real world.

 

**\-------**

 

When Adam got back to the hotel a little after 10 AM, the room was dark and quiet. Ronan must have taken his advice and gone back to sleep. He crept into the bedroom to find a shirtless Ronan sleeping on his stomach on Adam’s side of the bed. His tattoo practically shimmered in the low light. Adam got undressed as quietly as he could and carefully hung his suit back up in the closet. Then he slipped into bed with Ronan and snuggled as close to him under the blanket as possible, burying his face in Ronan’s shoulder blade. He had just started to doze off when Ronan stirred.

“How did it go?” Ronan asked, his voice groggy.

Adam smiled against Ronan’s back. “I think it went really well.”

“I knew it would.”

“So you’re a psychic now?”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Ronan said, then he thought about it for a moment. “Shit, how pissed would Sargent be?”

Adam laughed and kissed the top of Ronan’s spine.

“We really should try to leave this hotel room at some point,” Ronan said.

“We don’t have to.”

“What about your research? I thought you wanted to see the city.”

“I just want to see you.”

“We have to go do something. Declan’s going to ask and I’m not going to lie, so I’m going to tell him that all we did was stay in the hotel room and have sex for two days.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. It’s what we’d be doing at home.”

“True,” Ronan conceded. “But we do need someone to come change these sheets.”

Adam snorted. “Is that why you’re sleeping on my side of the bed?”

“No, It’s habit now.”

“What do you mean?”

“It started when you first left for school. It smelled like you and I missed you. It was comforting.”

Adam kissed his back again, and his shoulder, and his neck and just below his ear. Ronan shivered involuntarily, which reminded Adam of something.

“It’s much colder outside today than it was yesterday. I think it’s going to snow.”

“Did your psychic powers tell you that?”

“They didn’t have to. I’m about to spend my third winter in Boston. Trust me, I know.”

“Smartass. You stopped kissing me for that?”

“Did you bring a hat and gloves with you?”

“No, I didn’t think of it.”

“I guess you could buy some.”

Ronan was quiet for a moment. “I could dream some.”

“I suppose it’s small enough.”

“What should they be like? Describe them.”

“Warm. Waterproof. Flexible. Umm. Hot Pink.”

Ronan elbowed him. “Hmm. Let me see yours.”

Adam got out of bed and retrieved his hat and gloves from his backpack and gave them to Ronan. Ronan sat up and inspected them carefully, even putting one of the gloves on and flexing his fingers. “Okay. I’ve got it. Shouldn’t take long.” He spread out on his back and crossed his arms over his chest and fell asleep.

Adam got dressed and left the room in order to let Ronan dream in private. In the living room, he put on Ronan’s headphones and listened to his shitty music while he waited. About a half hour later, he felt the vibration of a knock on the wall behind the couch. He turned and looked up. Ronan was standing near the couch fully dressed now. With the music on, Adam hadn’t heard him approach. He took off the headphones. “So?”

Ronan dropped a pair of gloves in Adam’s lap. “I brought back an extra pair.”

“But I already have some.”

“Not like these.”

“Are they waterproof?”

“They were in the dream. If it works in the dream…”

“It works in real life, yeah, I know,” Adam interrupted. “You ready?”

“Yep. Let’s go see what kind of trouble we can get into.”

They headed downstairs to the main entrance of the hotel. They waved to their friends at the front desk on the way out.

 

**\------**

 

“Where to?” Ronan asked.

“We’re not far from Times Square. Let’s head that way first,” Adam suggested. They walked two blocks over to 46th street and then began the several block walk to Times Square. Ronan suggested they stop for a quick lunch at an Irish pub they passed on the way. After lunch, they walked by a sign on the sidewalk for a psychic offering a special winter solstice deal, with an arrow pointing up some shady looking stairs. Adam suggested they go for a reading, but Ronan could not be persuaded.

“You’re stifling me,” Adam whined, half joking, half serious. “How am I supposed to sharpen my skills if I never get to observe others practicing the craft.”

“I’ll go to a reading with you if you go to church with me this Sunday.”

“Not a chance,” Adam huffed.

“Stalemate.”

The foot traffic increased dramatically the closer they got to Times Square. At the intersection of 46th street and 7th avenue, they were suddenly in the thick of it. They stood on the corner like idiots trying to take in the colorful billboards and flashing advertisements that stretched as far as the eye could see. The ads were made even more garish by the fact that it was Christmas time. It wasn’t even dark out and it was all way too bright.

“I hate this,” Ronan said after several moments.

“Me too,” Adam agreed. “Let’s get out of here.”

Adam grabbed his hand and led him through the crowds up 7th street for several blocks. “Where are we going?” Ronan asked.

“You’ll see,” Adam said, “I think you’ll like it better than Times Square.”

They kept walking until a large, green space opened up in front of them across the street.

“Central Park,” Adam said, gesturing toward one of the many park entrances.

“You’re a genius,” Ronan said, planting a firm kiss on Adam’s lips. “Let’s go in.” He grabbed Adam’s hand and led him across the street and into the park.

“It’s no Cabeswater, but it’s not so bad for the middle of the city, right?” Adam asked.

“Yeah. This is so much better than Times Square,” Ronan agreed.

Adam pulled out his phone to look at a map. “There’s something I read about that I think you will want to see.”

“What is it?” Ronan asked, looking over Adam’s shoulder. Adam hid his phone from view.

“It’s a surprise. We need to go this way,” Adam said, pointing vaguely in the direction they needed to go.

“Okay, Parrish. Lead the way.”

They hiked through the park, stopping to admire some of the more famous attractions like The Mall and Bethesda Terrace Arcade, Bethesda Fountain and Central Park Lake. They got a bit lost hiking in The Ramble, but Ronan wasn’t worried. He knew Adam would find a way out. The temperature started to drop as darkness approached, but all of the activity kept them from feeling too cold.

“Want some hot chocolate?” Ronan asked, pointing to a snack stand once they got out of the tricky wooded area and back on one of the main paths.

“Yeah. Let’s take a break for a minute. I need to look at the map again,” Adam said.

He sat on a bench and scrolled through his phone while Ronan went to get the hot chocolate. The wind picked up a bit so the warmth from the beverage felt good in his cold hands. He handed one of the cups to Adam and sat down next to him

“You should put your hat on. You’re gonna lose all your body heat through your bare head,” Adam said, rubbing his free hand up the back of Ronan’s scalp.

“Sure,” Ronan shrugged, but didn’t move to put on his hat because he really wanted Adam to rub his head like that again and he wouldn’t be able to if Ronan put his fucking hat on.

Adam rolled his eyes and looked down at his phone again, sipping his hot chocolate. “Okay, I know where we need to go now.”

“You sure? I mean this has been fun, but you don’t seem to know where you’re going,” Ronan teased.

“Fuck you, Lynch,” Adam said, playfully. “I’m the one that got us out of that mess.”

A big gust of wind hit them full force and they huddled together to protect their exposed faces and hands. Ronan took the opportunity to nuzzle and kiss Adam’s neck. Adam responded by rubbing Ronan’s head with his free hand again, just the way Ronan liked.  _ Fuck you, hat.  _ When the wind died down, they were slow to pull apart. Ronan’s lips found other parts of Adam’s face. Like his jaw and his chin and his cheeks and his nose and finally his lips. Ronan set down his hot chocolate and took Adam’s and set it down next to his, all without breaking contact with Adam’s lips. Now both hands were free to roam wherever they pleased. Another gust of wind brought them to their senses.

“We should go. The weather’s getting bad,” Adam said.

They finished their hot chocolate as quickly as possible and stood up. The owner of the stand was shutting down for the day. He smiled and gave them a thumbs up as they walked by. Adam was already flushed, so Ronan couldn’t tell if he was blushing or not, but he grabbed Ronan’s hand and squeezed it tight. “Come on,” he said. “This way.”

They reached their destination just as the last of the day’s light was fading. It was a large bronze sculpture of Alice in Wonderland. Alice sat in the middle of a giant mushroom reaching for a giant pocket watch held out to her by the White Rabbit on one side, while the Mad Hatter watched from the other side and the Cheshire Cat peered over her shoulder.

Ronan walked around it several times, running his hand over the smooth, cold metal. It reminded him of when his father used to read the story to him and Declan and Matthew, when they were young, when he was home, with his mother perched in a desk chair nearby, also listening and watching intently. Ronan had always thought they were so happy in those moments, the perfect family. But knowing what he knows now, he wasn’t so sure. Had his father already promised the Greywaren to someone by then and failed to deliver? Was he already on the run? Ronan had so many questions that would never be answered. His eyes welled up and a couple of hot tears spilled down his cheeks. Adam was at his side at once.

“I’m sorry,” Adam said. “You always said it was your favorite book. I thought you would like it.”

Ronan wiped away the tears with the back of his hand. “It is and I do. I really do. It just reminded me of Mom and Dad. I didn’t mean to react this way. I thought I was...”  _ Over it _ . How foolish he had been.

Adam laced his fingers through Ronan’s again. As they stared at the statue in silence, the first flakes of snow began to fall.

 

**\-------**

 

They left the park and headed back in the direction of their hotel, hand in hand. They had finally admitted defeat and put on their hats and gloves. It was a long walk, but Adam didn’t mind. They often spent hours hiking in the mountains for the fun of it, they could handle walking through the city at night in the snow. It was actually kind of beautiful. The only problem was Ronan’s silence. Adam didn’t know what to do about it. Normally, he would hand Ronan the keys to the BMW and push him out the door, but he couldn’t do that here. And that was usually what he did when Ronan was angry. This didn’t feel like anger.

The lights got brighter as they approached some of the busier sections of Midtown. Ronan stopped suddenly and pointed out the brightly lit facade of Radio City Music Hall up ahead.

“I know where we are now,” he said suddenly, with a hint of a smile. “This way.” He pulled Adam in the direction of the bright lights and turned down 50th street. They walked another half block and then they saw it: the giant Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. They crossed the street and walked around to the front of the display, looking down on the skating rink. The snow was coming down harder, but there were still plenty of people out shopping and skating and taking aesthetic pictures of the decorations for social media.

Adam was thrilled to see the sadness beginning to melt away from Ronan’s face as they stood and admired the impressive scene.

“Have you ever been ice skating before?” Ronan asked.

Adam shook his head. It was rare for a body of water to freeze enough for skating in the mild Virginia winters and he wouldn’t have been able to afford to go to an indoor rink if he had wanted to when he was younger. It wasn’t really something he had ever wanted to do.

“Neither have I. You wanna try?”

If Ronan couldn’t release whatever he was feeling right now by getting in a car and pushing the pedal all the way to the floor, maybe speeding around an ice rink would help. Adam would do pretty much anything for him. “Yeah, okay,” he said.

They walked down to the rink and rented skates. They helped each other with the laces and walked unsteadily to the entrance to the ice. The crowd had thinned a bit because of the snow, but there were still plenty of people to collide with, so they just tried to cling to each other at first. Unsurprisingly, Ronan picked it up quickly and soon wanted to leave Adam behind so he could go race the little kids who were probably born with skates on their feet.

Adam was more tentative. He could get moving easily enough, but stopping proved to be more difficult. He would have to fall just so he wouldn’t run into someone or something, and getting back up was a challenge. But it wasn’t in Adam’s nature to back down when presented with a challenge and he knew he could perfect pretty much any skill if he practiced enough, so he didn’t give up. By the time they closed the rink due to the snow, he was doing really well. He wasn’t racing the little kids, but he was holding his own.

“That was fun,” Ronan said, smiling broadly as they sat on a bench and removed their skates.

“For you, maybe,” Adam said. “I’m going to be so sore..”

Ronan laughed. “Amateur.”

Thankfully, they took a cab the rest of the way back to their hotel.

 

\------

 

When they arrived back in their room, a bottle of champagne was chilling in an ice bucket on the table, along with two champagne flutes and two gift wrapped packages. “Did you do this?” Adam asked Ronan, suspiciously, as he peeled off his jacket, hat and gloves.

“No,” Ronan said quickly, snatching up the little card propped up on the table in front of the display. “From your friends at the front desk,” Ronan read aloud.

Adam laughed. “You really made an impression on them.”

“I think we both did,” Ronan said, wrapping his arm around Adam’s shoulder and pressing a kiss into his temple.

“Should we open them? They’re not, like, charging us extra are they?”

Ronan smirked. “It’s a gift, Parrish.”

Adam picked up one of the packages and slipped off the ribbon and lifted the lid. “Chocolate covered strawberries.”

“To go with the champagne. How romantic,” Ronan said. “What about this one?” He handed the second package to Adam.

Adam took the box from him and ripped off the wrapping. Inside the box was a paper bag with a spherical object inside a little smaller than a baseball. “I… uh… I don’t know what it is.” He lifted the ball from the bag and held it up for Ronan to examine.

“It’s a bath bomb,” Ronan said.

“A what? How do you know that?”

Ronan shrugged and tapped on the lid of the box. He pulled out a travel sized bottle of shower gel and flipped the cap open to smell it. “Mmm… roses,” He said, like it was a totally normal thing for him to say.

Adam picked up the lid and flipped it over. There was a description card glued to the inside. “Oh it’s called a sex bomb,” he said, suddenly feeling a little warmer. “It says it contains nature’s most potent and seductive ingredients to get you in the mood.” He sniffed the bath bomb. “Jasmine, I think. And sage. You’ve used one of these before, haven’t you?”

Ronan looked at him, amused. “Maybe.”

“Really? When?”

“I don’t know. I overheard Cheng talking about them with Orla. I teased him about it and he said something stupid like ‘don’t knock it until you try it’ and a couple of days later a package like that showed up at the house.”

“Henry sent you a sex bomb?”

“It was a different one. Intergalactic or some shit.”

“And how was it?” Adam asked, setting the sphere back down in the box and brushing the residue off his hands.

“I really like baths, Parrish,” Ronan said.

“Oh my god. I can’t believe you kept this from me. How long has this been going on?”

“Since Thanksgiving.”

“That’s what I get for not coming home, I guess.”

“So… do you want to give it a try?” Ronan asked.

“A hot bath sounds really good right now,” Adam admitted.

Ronan grabbed the bottle of champagne, the box of strawberries and Adam’s hand and pulled him towards the bathroom.

Adam grabbed the box of bath products with his free hand and let Ronan lead him. The bathroom had a massive tub separate from the shower. Adam sat on the counter and watched Ronan turn on the water and set everything up.

“Check the water temp. Is that hot enough for you?” Ronan asked.

Adam got up and crouched over the tub, running his hand under the water. “Yeah, that’s good.” When the tub was full enough, he watched as Ronan turned off the water and dropped the bath bomb in the tub. It began to fizz and bubble as soon as it hit the water, turning it pink. The smell was incredible. Adam watched it in amazement for several seconds, then he started stripping off his clothes layer by layer. Ronan smiled and popped the cork on the bottle of champagne and took a drink. He set the bottle down on the edge of the tub and began to undress as well.

Adam slipped into the massive tub full of pink water and moaned with relief. The hot water felt so good on his already sore muscles. He leaned back against the side of the tub, stretched out his legs and closed his eyes.

“That good?” Ronan asked.

“This is nice,” Adam said, opening his eyes just enough to watch Ronan step out of his jeans and underwear. Before he stepped into the tub, he grabbed the rose-scented shower gel off the counter.

“Almost forgot this,” he said, placing the small bottle next to the champagne and the strawberries. “Move your legs.”

Adam bent his knees so Ronan could sit at the opposite end of the tub. He winced as he stepped into the steaming bath. “Holy fuck, Parrish, are you trying to boil me alive?” 

“Your heat tolerance sucks,” Adam teased. The water level rose, dangerously close to spilling over the edge. They jostled playfully for leg room until they were both comfortable.

“What now?” Adam asked, poking the remainder of the still-fizzing bath bomb with his finger.

“Now, we relax,” Ronan said, grabbing the bottle of champagne and taking a swig.

“This is the color I wanted your gloves to be, by the way,” Adam said.

Ronan nearly spit out the champagne. He coughed a little, which turned into laughter. “This isn’t even hot pink. This is, like, pastel pink.”

“Whatever,” Adam said, reaching for the bottle.

“Are you sure?” Ronan asked, a fleeting look of concern passing over his face.

“I just want to try a little. It’s not like I’m going to get drunk.”

“You never know. Your alcohol tolerance is probably as good as my heat tolerance.”

Adam shrugged. “It’s not like we’re going anywhere. It’s just you and me,” he wanted to express that he felt comfortable enough with Ronan to let his guard down, so he decided just to be honest. “I feel safe with you,” he said, echoing Ronan’s own words about his dreaming.

Ronan handed him the bottle. Adam took a tentative sip. It was sweet and as fizzy and bubbly on his tongue as the bath bomb was in the water. He took a longer drink and passed it back to Ronan. They talked and drank champagne and fed each other the strawberries until they needed to add more hot water.

“I think this is the most romantic thing we’ve ever done,” Ronan mused.

Adam felt warm and happy, but Ronan was suddenly too far away. “Hey. Come here,” he gestured for Ronan to come sit with him. Ronan turned in the water, sending it cascading over the edge of the tub and onto the floor. They were both too relaxed to care. Ronan settled back against Adam’s chest. Adam wrapped his arms and legs around him, and pressed his cheek to the back of Ronan’s head.

“We need to talk about the summer,” Adam said, then he sat back and took the shower gel and poured some in his hands. He worked up a lather and then rubbed it into Ronan’s back, tracing the pattern of his tattoo. Adam hated to bring up the subject and ruin the moment, but the longer they went without talking about it, the more Adam would begin to fixate on it and the less he would enjoy the precious little time they had together.

“I know,” Ronan said, after a long moment of silence. But he didn’t add anything else. Instead, he stole the shower gel and soaped up Adam’s legs and feet.

“If it’s not New York, it will be somewhere else. I can’t put it off any longer.”

“I know,” Ronan said again. “I’ll come see you.”

“What if it’s California?”

“Doesn’t matter where you go.”

“It's only going to get harder after.”

“ _ Adam. _ I know it won’t be like the other summers, but I love you and we’ll make it work. I’m not worried.”

Adam wrapped his arms around Ronan and held him tightly. “I didn’t know I could fall more in love with you. But I do every day.”

Ronan grabbed his right hand and put it to his mouth, kissing the knuckles gently. “New York’s not so bad,” he said. “Let’s get out of here. Your fingers are prunes.”

 

\-------

 

They both slept well that night and in the morning, enjoyed breakfast in bed, before trekking through the snow to the train station. Adam fell asleep on the train with his head resting on Ronan’s shoulder. When they arrived at Union Station in D.C., Declan and Matthew were waiting to pick them up. Ronan actually smiled when he saw his brothers. He hugged them both tightly even though it had only been a couple of days since they had dropped him off. Declan glanced at Adam with concern. Matthew didn’t seem to notice.

“You smell like a dream,” Matthew teased, inhaling deeply.

“Shut up, Shithead,” Ronan said, putting him in a headlock.

“Is that… glitter?” Declan asked, licking his thumb and rubbing a spot on Ronan’s face.

Ronan jerked away and let go of Matthew. “Did you just spit wash me?” He asked Declan, revolted.

“Oh my God, like mom used to do,” Matthew howled. In the past, a statement like that would have stopped all of them in their tracks, but now they just laughed and teased each other. They had all grown up considerably in the last three years. Adam observed them and couldn’t help but wonder for the thousandth time what it would be like to have siblings.

“You still didn’t explain the glitter,” Declan said.

“Okay fine, losers,” Ronan said, grabbing Adam’s hand. “Parrish and I had a very romantic couple of days in New York, which happened to include the use of bath products that may have contained glitter. Are you satisfied?”

Adam’s cheeks burned. He should have known that Ronan wouldn’t be able to resist divulging at least some details to his brothers.

“Yes,” Matthew squealed with delight.

“Hmm,” Declan said thoughtfully. “Which bath products?”

“Why do you want to know? So you can add them to your repertoire?”

“Maybe. If they worked on Parrish…” Declan began.

“Stop. I don’t want to hear about any of your heterosexual shenanigans,” Ronan interrupted.

“Fine,” Declan said, then after a moment of silence, he added, “but you do smell really good.” Then he took off running through the rows of cars in the parking garage. Ronan dropped Adam’s hand and chased after him. Adam looked at Matthew, who just shrugged.

“Do you remember where Declan parked?” Adam asked, hopefully.

“No, guess we’ll just have to follow the path of destruction,” Matthew grinned.

They walked down a couple of rows before Ronan circled back to them, out of breath.

“What happened?” Adam asked.

“Fucker got to the car first and locked me out,” Ronan answered.

They turned the corner and saw Declan sitting in the driver’s seat of the Volvo with a smug look on his face.

Adam laughed and put his arm around Ronan, pulling him close. “Come on. Let’s go home.”


End file.
